


Paint It Red \\\ Noir Inversé

by Siknakaliux



Series: Custom Duel Noir Scenarios [5]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Kirigiri
Genre: Adversaries to Allies, Alliances, Blood Loss, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Bounty Hunting, Child Murder, First Aid, Injury Recovery, Murder, Organized Crime, Out of Character, Partner Betrayal, Permanent Injury, Personality Swap, Physical Abuse, Role Reversal, Stalking, Targeting, Temporary alliance, Torture, Unhealthy Relationships, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-20 19:42:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30009975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siknakaliux/pseuds/Siknakaliux
Summary: Each and every opportunity comes with a risk, with both Victims and Assigned Detectives having their own share of burden...But when a simple conceptual ruleset is drastically changed, previous tactics are no longer so cut and dry.
Relationships: Kirigiri Kyoko/Mizuiyama Sachi, Kirigiri Kyoko/Samidare Yui
Series: Custom Duel Noir Scenarios [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2059863
Kudos: 1





	1. Inversion Theory//Prelude

_"Don't you want revenge..?"_

Sachi stays at rest, almost refusing to reply to Endo's remark as she simply stares ahead, praying on her thoughts. Almost four times now she's plunged into the highly demanding world of Duel Noirs, having proved herself worthy of adapting to change and easily reaping the rewards and skill each scenario offered.. But even still, she fears that her luck may soon one day run fickle. Just this time, it's only twice she's laid eyes on this man calling himself _Tokichiro Endo,_ promising her a chance to start anew again.. A mere concept she instinctively doubts despite the burning curiosity.

"I don't believe I need such a resolution." Her response was almost natural, awaiting the stranger's response in lieu of her conclusion. She's seen it many times before; Victims being bribed at their lowest, only for their emotions to take hold to their downfall. She's experienced it _once,_ however, both for her inner conflict and to experience what feelings guilt and revenge does to a person. She was lucky to have passed the week uncaught, but _'never again',_ she's swore to herself 'till fate did her part; Chance may not brush her path again.

Even still the coat-clad stranger refused to budge, his undying intrusion still unquenched; The reason for refusal quite perplexing for someone who has almost nothing to lose.

"Hmm?.. Seems a bit repressing considering your inquisitive nature, Mizuiyama. You've lived though a Duel Noir posing as a Victim, solved countless others, yet still that fire in you has long died.. You force down your own feelings with nothing but your analytical nature, pushing through challenges with a fixed state of intent. Tell me now, is this _living_ to you?" Endo's words, despite being laced with a persuasive intent, strikes at Sachi's audacity; The very experience she's gone through being echoed by someone with _insight._

Her previous experiences urge her to think logically- How much longer would her resolve continue to seek through unjustifiable means and temptations of questionable offers?.. Despite the previous encounter, those words yet still stuck to her; A simple fix to the repetitive, monotone ordeals up until now.. She couldn't help but yearn eternally to the craving ardour she so desires.

"If _this_ is truly living.." Sachi's words only fall flat.

"Aren't you tired of being a victim?.. Bound to restrictions and nothing more?" Endo continues on his statements, pulling out a grey envelope in which she then accepts. _"This_ here, is the cultivation of hours upon decision and concepts proposed by the Committee's Duel Noir Coordinator, having put forth a unique spin on most common cases. I assume based on your interests in this offer alone that you've very well made up your mind, is that correct?"

Sachi immediately takes note of the supposedly inverted colour scheme, with the shade of black reversed and an aqua coloured wax seal to replace the red commonly associated with common Noirs. Unlike a common Duel Noir, only the Assigned Detective receives the 'challenge' letter, depicting the information listed about the case. Despite the newly minted opportunity, she found it a tad bit odd, considering the usual procedures. Looking at it from different angles she's finally captivated its appearance for the time being, now focusing on Endo's words.

"Tell me now, _exactly what_ is this modified Duel Noir of yours?.." Sachi turned her slight unrest towards the man, attempting to get the most of his information on word of mouth alone. "I understand that not just its appearance itself changes anything, but surely the rules and its common establishments have drastically been altered?"

"..That is correct. This, we call a _'Noir Inversé',_ a reversed concept unlike our ordinary, common Noirs. The assigned roles are inverted, as well as major changes being made to the core foundations in order to accommodate the significant adjustments."

The significant changes were quite the endeavour, and as the details trickled in, Sachi found herself quite inclined to the gamble of a new system being offered in place. Despite the elation, she's caught herself demanding as much info as she possibly could in order to form her own conclusion. "Go on now, tell me everything- How will the Deck system operate, now that those changes have occurred? Roles of the Victim and the Assigned Detective? How the hell would I purchase tricks and miscellaneous items-"

"Have some _patience,_ Mizuiyama.. I'll assure you your frenzied questions shall be granted with an answer, soon enough. Now, to heed your concerns.." Endo's response was just as quick to shut down the detective's demands, a small wave of his hand signalling for Sachi to appease, with her response being a silent stare. "The most significant change will be the reversal of roles. Unlike a common Duel Noir, the 'Assigned Detective', or 'Opposition' as we'd call them, will take the role of the Victim, tasked to eliminate the assigned target within the timespan-"

"So what you're telling me is that I'll be the one trying to uncover the damn 'case', is _this_ what it's about?" Sachi, despite the agreement, jumped in to voice her slight disagreements.

"..That is _not_ quite on the mark, but I'll continue on. In the case of the Victim, unlike the common Noirs they essentially live up to their role, taking on the burden of being targeted by the Opposition. Despite the bias, their perks essentially even out the oppression. The next regard is the Deck system and _that too,_ has been altered slightly. Unlike a common Noir in which the Victim selects and pays for their murderous catharsis, the Deck in _this_ Noir has been specifically catered to the distressed, defensive and outcast; Offering the tools needed for them to persevere. Instead of directly paying for the techniques, we _pay you_ the amounts for every set time you're still in good standing; And additional requests can also be made when in need of assistance."

Endo's expounds now greatly satisfy Sachi's initial clamours, the information more than enough to have her act upon compounded input. He hands her a device with it almost resembling a smartphone at first, but the slight imperfections on its overall body and appearance leads her to conclude that it will be of upmost importance. She listens on, continuing to examine the device.

"This contracker I've given you will aid in your service. The ability to request additional items in times of desperation, contact us regarding any rule reiterations, and the ability to view your concurring statistics will very much benefit you if proper care is established. The total cost of your selected Deck will be displayed as well as other significant stats and rules, so do your very best in enduring this harsh path you've chosen."

Sachi gets up now, paying no regard to Endo's smirk as she distances herself greatly, plans and possible strategies running through her mind with every footstep. Everything takes risk to achieve abundance, and living a life of monotomy certainly resigns one's fate to loss.. The only way to achieve is the lovely, lonely iron-clad barrier of tenacity and exploit. She tears apart the envelope, new ambitions set in stone.

> _Hear me, escapee. Listen to your cautionary instincts._
> 
> Location: Haiki Industrial Complex - 120,000,000
> 
> Weapon: Jet injector - 10,000
> 
> Other: Tracking devices - 500
> 
> Other: Laptop - 500
> 
> Other: Video-fed Drone - 1,000
> 
> Other: Level III Stab-Resistant vest - 2,000
> 
> Capped total - 120,014,000
> 
> _Upon the opening of this envelope, the following opposition has been alerted._
> 
> **_Yui Samidare_ **

* * *

Somewhere out beneath the confines of darkness and lost affinity lies uncertainty, the simple concept alone striking fear within the minds of most that are unprepared. Somewhere out _there,_ the mocking laughs of those who have managed to persevere it reach out, their cruelty pushing things aside. Somewhere out in the academy's back field Samidare struts with no regard, the sun's faint light being disregarded by her position. Her pace of step falters as she gazes around, the already emptied area devoid of students.

The monotony, the strictly woven academy's rules already caused her to lose it, though it wasn't sudden at first. The _students,_ their damn attitudes.. She's been accustomed to the solitude now, already used to their distance and scrutiny from months of constant abuse and taking everything she's had out on them. They've distanced themselves greatly from her as a result with rumours flying high, but she didn't even care.. Except for the burning defiance having risen yet again, with no other victim to take it out on. Something in her _hates_ the tempting desire to just lash out, to quench whatever malevolence pulls at her heartstrings.. But she still needs it; In this state of absence she's got to hate _something,_ or she'd lose her damn mind. The twisted desires she's called her perception calls out again, various scenarios posed in her mind.. Mocking her inaction. Maybe if she ignores the temptation, it'll go away; If she'd try to debate it with philosophical issues and lose.. The emptiness greets her again, killing her slowly with the burning sense of suspense and everything she simply _can't_ reach.

Letting out a grunt she stands fast, fists clenching almost to the point of shaking she whirls around, no regard nor target as she lets out a shout. "LISTEN _UP,_ WASHOUTS!" Step, pause, step, turn. Sharp, enraged, irrational. "DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER?!"

Almost all this time she's ached for a release, something she'd practically beat all her anger into. No response awaits her except for the meek presence of Kirigiri, almost distanced greatly from her as she watches on from the sidelines. As quickly as the rest of the school learned to avoid her presence; Kirigiri, despite having persevered through her constant abuse, stuck by her side anyways, hoping for a faint light to shine through the darkness.. Samidare at first was adamant about her sudden accord, just as quickly pushing her away, but with her grit it was easier to just simply let her be..

Taking sight of and picking up a broken shard of a broom handle she picks it up, grip on it practically turning her knuckles white as one end of it is nailed to some ragged remains, bits and pieces tearing at her body with each and every swing colliding with any surface. The only sounds from beyond the area are slight footsteps and the soft hum of the wind. Upon Kirigiri's presence she violently throws it down, pacing forwards and practically ripping the grey envelope out of her hand, sense of chagrin already at her limit. Kirigiri steps back in fear as Samidare mercilessly unveils the contents, a wide grin finally emerging upon setting sight on what she so much _longed for._

Release. Freed intent is out.. No more hiding.

The wind now starts to blow so hard that it is now noticeably colder. Meanwhile, the silence beyond the rumble of the area is growing larger. Sharp bullets of light rain strikes them, but it is Samidare that's completely uncaring of her state of dress; With her hand shielding her face as she simply stares up, she simply relaxes and relishes this simple moment in time. Her other hand brushes against the cold steel of a battered pocket knife, bringing it out.. It makes her feel less helpless when she holds it. A quick strike might relieve her motives, so she adjusts the blade accordingly, getting every feel to the weapon as she does. A quick pace in her steps and a malicious glint in her eyes, Kirigiri, as always, trails behind her as her partner's resolve solidifies with vice.

Happiness, to _her,_ is a destructive intent.

...

> _A message to the megalomaniac_
> 
> _Pay heed to your heart's desire._
> 
> Location: Haiki Industrial Complex
> 
> Weapon: Jet injector
> 
> Target Pending: Sachi Mizuiyama
> 
> Reward: 120,014,000

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, another custom Duel Noir concept (By yours truly). If you haven't guessed by the title, the entire concept is inverted.
> 
> Character's personalities are swapped because yes, and also more of Samidare's sadistic side that I kinda wanna play with when having created this scenario.  
> As with tradition, here's to more complex rules and stuff when it comes to custom duel noirs, yeAHHHH..!..
> 
> Time's passed, but I've finally managed to one-up my crappy [idea](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27537001) at that time in terms of an ACTUAL concept, rules and flow- Major cringe warning 'cause that one's really bad.


	2. Day 1 - Noir Inversé//Outset

Fear.

It eats away at one's resolve with every passing moment spent in that self-deprecating state. It's completely natural to give up control when in a temporary state of emergency, but as soon as those feelings of unrest span longer than their intended timeline are when problems begin to set in. Feelings begin to trump logic, staying in a state of rest and calm slowly becomes improbable for as long as the state of 'danger' remains active; And soon enough paranoia will eventually take over the person's state of being, completely changing themselves permanently. It's a hard cycle to break free from.

Sachi remains still, trying to contemplate her decisions as the ever slowly infecting feeling of dread creeps up her spine. Shaking it off, she takes in a deep breath to remind herself of exactly _why_ she's gotten herself in this situation.. Letting loose doubt and shrouding herself away from any sort of life. On a normal day she would've been tranquil, passing time in absolute silence; Spending her time typing away at her keyboard or simply urbexing in various building structures, little to no regard about the risks or stigma when it comes to abandoned architecture. When it comes to common Duel Noirs, every bit of area must be taken in consideration; A building's conformation can make every bit of difference after all. Usually on a good day she'd take the case on 'physically', showing up at the assigned location then undertaking the challenge as is; Thank God for the Assigned Detective's 'Do no Harm' Perk. Occasionally she'd never bother to show up at all- Only taking the sidelines one time, in which the _same_ outcome would still be achieved; Whether by her hands herself or indirectly.

Those used to be the days.. But it seems that this time is quite different; No longer would the same strategy and approach work.

Occasionally during her days of common Duel Noirs she'd experiment with the concept of the Assigned Detective's presence, even going so far to literally fly in a video-fed drone in her place; All controlled, viewed and preserved from the privacy and comfort of her own residence. There wasn't any rule or regulation regarding the presence of a Detective, and so she exploited it for however long it took until she finally landed herself in the very same situation of convenience.. _This_ very situation in which she _had_ to take dwelling in the shadows; The idea of revealing herself or being uncovered would surely strike disaster.

Configuring the aerial device she checks the contracker, reviewing the regulations. She knew the simple changes of 'inverting' a Duel Noir's ruleset, but of course with change comes a vast amount of hidden adjustments and extra balance to make up for the switch.

> _\- Unlike a common Duel Noir, assigned roles are inverted._
> 
> _\- Perk 'Right of Immunity'/'Do No Harm' is granted to the Opposition. Direct fatality is forbidden; However death by indirect causes are permissable._
> 
> _\- The Victim's selected starter Deck's cost are what funds they will be capped at._
> 
> _\- Additional items can be requested, but at the Victim's expense._
> 
> _\- If undetected by the Opposition for a certain amount of time, a bonus amount pays out proportionate to the Deck's median cost when satisfied._
> 
> _\- Upon the Victim's victory, the cost of the starter Deck and the total amount paid for additional requests shall be awarded. However, the Opposition is rewarded with that same total upon their victory._

Cursing under her breath with some of the needlessly complex conducts, she opens her laptop and sets up the control program, the all so familiar interface greeting her gaze. A few popups and screeners later she's already taken hold of the drone's control, flying it out into the complex's dark, entwining expanse. Despite being having been assigned with nothing but a laptop, a drone, and a few miscellaneous items, the range of her 'sight' was almost the same as ever; Free to simply explore without bounds was a feeling she so missed after so much time. Controlling the aircraft was straightforward enough; Just a simple array of keyboard hotkeys programmed into the code, and the rest is just up to the user themselves. Despite the darkness of the surrounding area recording from the video feed, Sachi didn't have any trouble getting more information from the surroundings- Additional info pinged at the sidebar feed with every sound the drone picked up; An additional feature she managed to whip up in a code-rushing frenzy.

This state of disconnect was more than enough to pass time on, every bit of information counted, after all.. Though she could've went all out and spent her set earnings on various items, it will only lead to her downfall later on when the earnings are _truly needed._ She recalls the Deck's amount she's received- Capped at ~120 million, with the median undetection total being at 2,000. Not a bad amount, but still worthy to compound as the days fly by. Even still, there was one thing she needed to confirm- The Opposition's presence. Although mentioned by _him_ that _both_ challenging parties receive the envelope, she wanted to make sure if it really was accurate; Details of the challenge varied on the recipient, after all.

Time passes by and even with the safety of confinement Sachi begins to exhibit signs of boredom, a risky sentiment in this unpredictable game of wits. She winces slightly at her state of emotion- _(How in the hell can you be dissatisfied, when your life is in danger?!)_ Brushing aside her thoughts, a small familiar speck of red dots the laptop's screen. Flying the drone a little closer but still not enough to warrant suspicion she examines her opponent, verifying that it's truly _her-_ The photo headshot included in the challenge letter certainly didn't lie.. But an unfamiliar figure besides the opposition catches Sachi's curiosity. _(Her assistant? Partner of some sort..?)_ None of those thoughts made any sense as to why the opposition would bring along a young girl, or simply she was forced; Perhaps made to do her bidding, is what Sachi concluded. Despite the unexpected turn of events, she mentally made a note to avoid the young violet-haired girl in the time to come.

Flying the drone back, she's already caught sight of the younger girl's gaze locking at the drone itself before she realizes that not only leading the aircraft to herself will warrant suspicion.. But the possibility of a hidden advantage might eventually uncover her position, leading to a greater threat; She couldn't let that happen.. Not at this time.

With the drone now landing near her position, she swiftly packs up, keeping mind of her enemy's whereabouts.

* * *

It's been far too long, in _her_ eyes, that the simple objective of finding and eliminating their assigned target has dragged on. Her challenge letter included almost everything she's hoped for- A large enough area for her sinister desires, a reason for brutality, and the best of all; A fragile victim to take out every each and every pent up bitterness that's clawed at her resolve, an inquenchable desire being put forth for a chance to finally be _fulfilled.._ But even still throughout the maze of gloom, rust and iron she's _still_ at an impasse, clenching her fists at the built up frustration welling up in her chest. Samidare growls, letting loose a slightly harder-than kick against a scrap piece of stray metal, the object clattering a remarkable distance away. Even after all this time, her target 'Sachi Mizuiyama' was nowhere to be found; And it didn't help that it was simply just a name etched into the challenge letter's rewards section. Still though, this particular industrial complex was more than abandoned; Almost a guaranteed certainty that either she herself would run into them, or the target revealing themselves involuntarily.. Those outcomes alone easing Samidare's tensions a bit, though still not enough.

Kyoko stared upwards towards the metallic ceiling, having noticed movement. Stopping her movements to examine the flying object, she then tugs at her partner's sleeve to draw her attention to what she thinks might be a major lead. "Yui, please.. It's best that you try examining your surroundings a bit more-"

 _"-Shut up."_ Almost immediately her partner rebounds, practically dragging the younger girl in an iron tight grip with her making no attempts to struggle. Glaring at the newly formed fear in her eyes, Samidare finally forces her down in her way of letting her message get across. "Haven't you noticed yet? Your role is so simple, and still you continue to _fail_ me like this? Go on _yourself_ then, _leave_ me to my _own_ accord."

Those words were enough. Despite all this time, she's already given in to her partner's stinging words; It might as well be better that way, anyways.. Ignoring the sudden rise of temperament she already parts ways, a burning curiosity in her mind free from the risk of being shut down.


	3. Day 2

She was jolted awake with a loud beeping, the noise already having pierced the calm lull of the darkness; The newly discovered 'shelter' that she swore would keep her out of the opposition's gaze for as long as it takes. Though only short lived however, the shrill noise was most likely some sort of sick gimmick; She derived, a warning toll disguised as a sort of 'helpful' notification. Even still, she grabbed the device, wanting to examine exactly _what_ it meant by that sudden disruption.

> _[Victim] Sachi Mizuiyama_
> 
> _Unexposed for 2 hours - 2,000 Bonus paid out to Deck's 'Capped Total'_
> 
> Current funds - 120,014,000
> 
> Additional bonus - 2,000
> 
> Capped total - 120,016,000

..A bonus paid out for a set amount of time undetected? Not that bad, but now she's realized that the Deck's mean cost was only satisfactory for only _two_ hours; Any more would mean that the payout would significantly increase.. One could only hope.

Her state of mind was clear but yet still foggy, the remnants of anxiety still lingering at her state of feeling. She'd hoped for a quick rest; To clear out the haze and restart with a calm state of mind.. But it seemed that it simply wasn't that easy in this situation. During her time as a school counselor she's exhibited more than enough of a skill to keep both herself and her clients' emotions in check, resolving their problems easily as well as her ability to read others as well- But _that_ was the past.. And now this circumstance she's gotten herself into completely disregarded her previous experiences; No longer does the simple respite of a self reflection have in an environment like this. It would've been wise to loosen up, but with the ever-pressing issue on her mind, surely that opportunity would vanish when it's needed most.

Feeling confident in her chosen location, she retrieves the items, ready for another area checkup. Surely her opponents must've been scouting for _her,_ their positions drastically altered from the last time she's checked up via location tracking drone. Opening up her laptop and readying the aircraft she's set, a slight noise in the distance manages to catch her attention.

 _(Could've been anything.. But don't tell me it's that..!)_ Brushing aside her worries she sets aside those items, grabbing hold of her 'weapon'. Although she could've aimed for a deadlier weapon, 'rules' still apply regarding this game.. She couldn't risk an accidental rule-break. What more of a defensive weapon would one need besides the obvious..? Most common items like pepper-spray and other related tools might as well be effective for a short amount of time, but they don't have the potential to truly _bar_ an enemy's range of movement. Which is why a particular device such as a jet injector would make use of both its offensive _and_ defensive properties. Using a quick stream of pharmaceutical sleeping drugs, a quick up close and personal attack is simply enough to bring an opponent down.. Swift, easy, no chance of fatality; A weapon as modified as this simply just _works._

Bringing the weapon up high, Sachi raises her guard as she scouts for the threat, the shadow looming closer with every step she takes. It isn't long until a major decision can make or break the plan- Once either party's revealed, then it's all fair game from there. It seems that her presence alone only alerted the stranger to silently fall back, the slight speck of violet flashing to her vision for a split second. Sprinting forwards, she's finally caught the accomplice in a standstill, having stopped her fleeing and turned towards her, the cold gaze of indifference only sparking Sachi's desire to pry the younger girl's intentions out into open space.

"Go _on,_ now.. _Who_ are you?" Sachi only creeps closer, putting emphasis on her weapon. The violet-haired stranger only glares back in response, almost unfazed despite the pressing advantage she's put her in. It's almost unnerving how she's reacting; Being put up against a threat, only to shut off her fears and face her adversary head on.. None of her behaviour in this current state of time made any sense to Sachi.

"I see.. You're _them,_ aren't you?" Kyoko only manages to crack a faint grin, much to her target's dismay. "I see now, why she's gone so spiteful on me.." Swiftly turning around she strides off, leaving the premise along with a slightly flustered Sachi; Already scrambling for an escape.

There was no telling exactly _what_ the opposition's partner had in store, which is why panic trumped common sense as Sachi already relayed another location switch. Movement is key, after all..


	4. Day 3

When she looked around, she realized that everything around her was almost that same appearance; The rusting foundations of the complex, the desolate, grey and bleak areas that she swears she feels more than restless.. She was not sure where exactly the small glimpse of light was coming from, but even in the slight dim of darkness she could still see her own hands, body and shadow on the ground. Clad in her slowly deteriorating battle dress she eyes it for a moment, calculating just how much abuse her kimono and vest could take until they gave way. She made the right call to at least put some thought into her defence; There was no telling just how unpredictable her opponent would be when attacking.

Life itself was tough for anyone.. _Especially_ Victims who'd been roped into Duel Noirs, exacting their revenge that they might as very well not take sight of just how much they've been blinded by their feelings, mistakes and slipups leading into a fatal outcome. Even though she could say that she had been living with the most balanced, peaceful routine; It all whittled away as soon as she'd chosen the path of the detective.. Now part of something she couldn't have imagined far before. There was one persistent struggle that clawed at her head like a desperate parasite- Trepidation. With the ever passing of time it felt like she was getting less time to calm and recover, and each time she would wake up with a heavy sense of dread and racing, anxious thoughts. Just the same as every single time those feelings started off with a calm, reassuring setting. There was indeed a comforting charm in the nothingness that Sachi had enjoyed. What she didn't like was not seeing the end of it; Never able to find a wall to lean on or an exit to follow through. She almost always preferred small places rather than the large ones, because knowing where her physical limits stood was satisfying.. It was grounding in a sense.

But a slight movement seemed to catch her on guard, with her sense of security threatened.

The distant sound of threading boots slowly approached her with a buzzing itch of danger. She knew who these steps had belonged to; Sachi would be unable to forget the pace of her rival's feet. She could still remember hearing the exact same thing on the laptop's low speakers, the drone's ability to pick up sound doing more than enough to have her pick up on the little details.. But that was some time ago, and she hadn’t had a bit of rest since those events for a long while, so why was it coming back now? She could only wonder as she braced herself to look at her fear straight in the eyes. Sachi twisted around, meeting none other but Samidare, who had a maniacal gaze of a monster. 

The schoolgirl detective’s body was well-built, and even through her uniform she could see the muscular build throughout her lower body. Although almost the same height as Sachi herself, she stood just a tad bit taller by few centimetres. Samidare's face was tilted slightly up which created an effect of her looking down at her opponent; That also forced on a belief that she herself was the one in control of what was happening in this subconscious world of terror. Her expression is void, the same as most of her features were dulled except for her sharp, piercing gaze. In the slight darkness that surrounded them, that single look in her eyes signalled they were filled with a fire of thrill. Her eyebrows were knitted together in a mocking expression, which was accompanied with a sick grin that would not stop stretching further apart. For a moment Sachi was concerned that she had the audacity to show herself like this, but she chose to remain silent about her concern over the matter. 

“There you are.. _Sachi.”_ Samidare whispered, her gaze locked on her target. Her voice sounded almost appeased, which did not sit right with Sachi's beliefs; Such an experience should not have belonged to a maniacal 'detective'. This was wrong on so many levels, yet that was the exact representation of the vicious opposition that she got to know well over the countless hours of her difficult endurance. Hearing her own name being spoken with such passion, repeated over and over again like a mantra was disturbing.. Sachi took a step back in automatic defence, then stopping. Silence instantly followed that made the nerves in her chest press like a knife. 

Was she waiting for her to say something? Could that have been the case?.. She did not feel like speaking at the moment, and she did not want to take a wrong move and cause this to become worse than what it already had been. All that she could do was stare in fear, raise her guard and pray that soon her luck would spare her from an early impasse.

“Are you scared?” Samidare's taunts pull at her nerves, but still she stays strong. The answer would have been ‘yes’, but Sachi chose to remain quiet. “..You must be.”

Samidare concluded for herself while letting out a raspy chuckle; It sounded forced, not because she found their encounter amusing, but because she felt the need to ease her tension. “Fear looks good on you.. I _love_ it.” The aura of ease from just a second ago had been erased almost instantaneously as she voiced her sinister plights. “The way how your body is trembles at the mere sight of me.. The way how cold your skin gets at the thought of me being _so_ close to you when you don’t want to..“

The brunette took one step forward as Sachi mirrored her actions by taking a step back; The opposition was walking a lot faster now, going straight towards her target. 

That that was when a switch was flipped in Sachi's mind and she took off running. Instant frustration filled her up as it felt like she was unable to go at her full speed. Gravity was pressing her further into the ground, making her legs feel like they were half paralyzed. Taking in breaths felt more challenging with each passing moment as the unneeded weight of dread was coming down on her; And suddenly the place did not feel as open anymore. She felt trapped, not even knowing in which direction to run while she blindly headed straight forward in hesitation, but without ever holding back-

Her whole form had flinched when she felt herself stop against something. It was soft, like fabric and warm to touch. In front of her was a person, and once he looked up- She was met with her opponent yet again. She must have been tricked by her temporary state of delusions that the girl managed to outrun her in a circle which led her back to where she came from. Before Sachi could even consider fleeing once again, her iron grip of two arms wrapped themselves around her torso like restrictive chains; Refusing to let go. 

“You’re so light.. So cold, so lonely, hmm?” Samidare whispered, pressing herself closer as the other struggled to break free. Sachi didn't want to be caught up in such a compromising position, especially with the already restricting vest she donned. Her tormentor was ignoring all of her struggles, all while raising her pocket knife to tangle it in between the other’s locks. Samidare's hand trailed throughout the areas of her head, pressing the blade into her. The sharp waves of strain shot throughout her body, and Sachi felt herself sinking into the temporary cage of standstill.

..But she did not like this situation, she hated herself slightly when being forced to submit with physical force of such sort. Why would her own mind play such cruel games with her.. Why would it fool around?.. Trying to tell her that she was helpless and weak; That the deadline would never pass, that the fear she tried so hard to suppress would eventually catch up to her.

Nothing but her own resolve was going to save her from this hell.

At the same time, as the more harsher carvings began to melt into her feelings- The lighter she began to feel.. Like a heavy stone beginning to get slowly lifted up from her chest; Letting her take in a full breath of air once again. The vision in her eyes blurred and became hazy, most of her focus went to senses. Everything around her smelled like haze, and there was a scent of both dirt and blood. The two mixed together sounded so disgusting, yet taunting; Exactly how she would have described her tormentor- Bloodied grit. 

“You’re such a surprise..” Samidare was still going, it did not even sound like she was addressing to her prey anymore, she was speaking to nothing in particular while voicing out her thoughts. Meanwhile Sachi felt herself fall deeper into the agony that her tormentor was putting her in. “So _breakable..”_

The knife moved from her head to her stomach now, the small size of the weapon easily tearing away at the defensive layer of her kimono and burrowing its way underneath the stab resistant vest, striking at flesh. There was warmth around her- Samidare's grip held her secure in a hold like she was scared her prey would vanish the moment she would let them go- It bloomed over Sachi's nerves and terrified her.. Her stomach still felt like churning because the instinct of danger was still present. 

Everything about how she's gotten herself in this situation was so messy, so confusing, so unpredictable.

And that was when Sachi felt her heartbeat rise as the pressure began to feel too tight. The hands of the opposition were trying to squeeze the life out of her, and they were soon succeeding. She felt so small and vulnerable, a sudden need to cry from pain and overwhelming emotions washed over her common sense and ability to think straight. An arm exuding pressure against her had tightened once more; Her eyes went wide as it was slowly getting harder to take in more air. The pressure from both the knife and the pressing arm sent pain through her chest and other parts of her- Tainting them still in a painfully slow manner. She began attempting to kick her legs, but the more she moved the less she could breathe; Meanwhile nothing was stopping her tormentor from what she was doing. There was a sharp pain stabbing Sachi right in the chest area, the metallic blade inching in deeper with every movement. The panic began to seriously settle in, and she opened her mouth to scream, cry, talk, anything- But there was no sound coming out. 

From fear she felt like her feet were being worked with the light, sharp feelings of needles that told her to run. Her body was probably reacting to the situation while attempting to send her into a fight or flight mode.. But it was so slow, because Samidare began to lean her whole weight onto her prey and for a moment it felt like the former detective was twice as large as before. Sachi was not giving up yet; She began to attempt on writhing away, thrashing herself around or haggling in hopes of changing her tormentor's mind or snapping her out of it.

The pain from the distance became alarming in seconds as there was more power put into the pressure. She knew that her rival was strong, but who would have thought that it was this much.. At the weak, pathetic tries to take a breath in that began to come out from her lips were dry, petite coughs. Her limbs were violently shaking as she felt herself going into shock, mind racing with red flags and terror. Sachi did not even realize that she was pained until she felt tears aggressively streaming down her cheeks. It wasn’t much, but it made her eyes feel uncomfortable.. Itchy. All she could do in the moment was wait until it was going to be over. A snap of something inside of her that was followed with an internal echo in her mind made her almost lose it. She was now tearing harder, sobbing even, which made breathing even more difficult than before. It hurt.. Everything was hurting and she thought for a second that she was going to faint from the caused pain alone. Another soft crack echoed and the pain spared no time to make her feel everything.. That was when realization hit her. Were it the sound of her rib? It didn't seem possible from the angle alone but somehow it just happened in a moment. She could not think properly because the wound felt sore and agonizing, but the pressure from suffocation was rubbing it in further into the body which forced a cry of pain from her as the freshly fractured bone was cutting into internal flesh.

The warmth of Samidare's body now felt like it was all over the place, as Sachi began to sweat; She was burning up. Her cheeks flushed with peach, and her ears felt like they were stuffed; Rendering her ability to hear severely limited. Even though everything around was hot, the inside of her body felt like it was freezing. Her tormentor decided to take a single look down at her while applying the same amount of strength as before; Smirking with a satisfied look once her eyes caught an unimaginable sight before her. 

A messed up doll with a dull face. A small kitten that was getting crushed by a predator. An undeniably cunning victim being punished by the corruption of injust.. Samidare was the only one to be ever given a chance to feel this, and that was what had made it so special and exciting. She didn't even realize how her lips had stretched into a maniac grin once again; But she could totally recognize this feeling.. The dominance of the act and rarity. Sachi, to _her,_ was nothing more than a mere plaything; Nothing more than to torture and extend her suffering. If Sachi's face was flushed from pain, Samidare's was flushed from absolute euphoria.

Was this happiness? She was sure now, but it felt _good.._ Samidare wanted to feel more of that.. Nothing was ever enough; All those pent up frustrations were finally being quenched. Her grip tightened around Sachi, making the woman in front of her let out yet another pained shriek that made the tormentor's heart pick up its pace. Was this supposed to be considered satisfying? Gratifying? Fulfilling?.. Samidare put pressure on her prey more, wanting to swallow her up if she could just like a black hole in space; Simply letting go would be so wrong. Sachi jolted as another crack was heard and soon she screamed from pain. It was a short scream, that quickly enough was cut off with the lack of oxygen in her system. The next time she held her closer she felt something wet staining her hands and soon enough her nostrils were hit with a fresh scent of iron. 

Samidare's grip had finally loosened from Sachi, retrieving her bloodied pocket knife in which she stared at the crimson color before holding her prey by the shoulders in a tight grasp. Sachi's lips had turned bluish color and there was blood leaking out from her mouth, down her chin. She was still breathing through her nose, but the breaths alone were weak and small. Her eyes closed, but most likely she was still conscious and aware of what was happening.. At least just a bit.

“So hesitant.. Aren’t you sweet like that? All quiet, just like always. Pain looks so good on you, Sachi.. If only I could, I’d always bring you agony just to savour the sight again and again.” Samidare exhaled deeply as she sat down on the ground while dragging Sachi with her. Soon enough she positioned her prey against a wall while pressing her close once again. She rested herself slightly against the other's body, this time focusing more on disrepute rather than breaking her prey's spirit. “Wouldn’t you let me break you down further?

She suddenly landed a punch against the exposed area of her chest, causing Sachi to let out a gasp of pain, the heavy pants and teary eyes made her tormentor flush with fury. Despite all this, all Sachi did was look up in pure fear, she could not even remember the last time when she had been this terrified for what was about to come..

Samidare was still going on with her abnormal actions as she cupped her prey's face. Her pocket knife lightly traced crimson circles around the other's cheek; Feeling the softness of her skin under her touch. “Such privilege.. I’m _jealous_ of you.” Her tormentor leaned in while commanding her to ease in; Sachi sickeningly found herself actually going along with it. Her tormentor must have noticed that the fractured bones had done their damage, any more movemnt would slowly break her body, surely. “Deep breaths, now. _Breathe..“_ There was her knife tangled in her hair again; Softly pulling and carving the locks while easing her prey away into another trance of pain just like before.

Her tormentor pulled away, admiring the other with a crazy look in her eyes. It was like she had multiple ideas on what to do next, and could not settle with a single one. Her pupils dilated all of a sudden; Movement stiffed and the hand pulled away from Sachi's face. The world went spinning once again as Samidare formed her free hand into a fist and aimed it right at her prey's face. The shock instantly spread through Sachi's whole body, alarming her with pain and panic. Her vision spotted with black, and the part around her eye almost instantly had gone numb to the outside stimuli. It felt like the opposition had crushed her whole eyeball with how much it was pulsing. The tears were back on her face now, as she bit down on her lower lip trying to keep resisting. The softness in this violence was shattering something inside of her. 

That was when another punch came, but this time it targeted her nose. The agonic jolt of pain stunned her; Legs uncontrollably jerking as a loud crack was heard that echoed around the never-ending darkness. A scream erupted from her lungs, because it felt like her eyes were burning and everything was too much to handle all of a sudden.

Hearing her voice once again sent shivers down Sachi's spine. She sighed at the end, like something disappointing had just happened that ruined her fun with her prey. “What is it like to be so deeply in spite with me that you would actually let me do this to you?.. Would you still forgive me?” Her tormentor spoke with a more serious tone, lifting up Sachi's hand and stared at her fingers. “Would you have forgiven me if I would break these?.. Or rip your nails, perhaps?”

Her tormentor leaned forward, which caused her to try and flinch away-

“Or perhaps you would hate me only if I would take something that’s more precious to a human..” Samidare inched her head closer to her prey's face, relishing the fearful look in her eyes. “What if I stole from you your ability to feel? To breathe?” Her breath was ghosting around Sachi's neck, while one hand made its way towards her chest and applied pressure. She cried out in agony, tossing in her place as more coughing came out with blood.

Desperate thrashes tried so hard to break free despite the pain, and those futile efforts alone only managed to loosen the opposition's grip on her. Continuing to rain down hits against her tormentor, it seemed like she was almost disinterested as the hits only did nothing to faze her. Rushing to stand herself, the flaring pain in her chest erupted as she thought of nothing but one thing: _Away._

...

Maybe this was it.. She was going to die, she concluded while the pain radiated all over her body. Her nose was pulsing, her eye was numb and her ribs felt like sharp knives that were slowly killing her. Sachi felt her eyes rolling to the back of her skull as the power began to leave her. Her tormentor felt like she was everywhere.. She could see her, feel her, and touch her. Her whole mind was filled up with the demon from her nightmares..

* * *

Darkness.

Pain.

Those were the only things she could feel in her world now. Her body, her soul, it all stung and burned, throbbing with unimaginable pain that she couldn’t seem to escape from. She didn’t remember where she was, but she remembered what had happened. The sharp, stinging bruises of _her_ attacks and the burning of her lungs as she tried so hard to escape _her_ presence, eventually collapsing.

Where was her state of perseverance now?.. Why.. Why hadn’t it been there when she called for it? She remembered calling out, again and again.. Crying for aid, for her instincts to make everything stop; To make the pain go away-

But nothing worked in the end.

Sachi's pained cries broke through the silence, the soft muddled wishes not quite fulfilled echoing out in desperation. She knew it was wrong, that simple decision only leading to her downfall with just a single shred of adversity, but with her current suffering, she wished that she'd slip away from this madness.. If only it were to stop the pain.

After a few more minutes of silence, a voice began to break through the stillness, familiar yet not.. She couldn’t hear well enough to place an accurate guess. She couldn’t understand what it were saying, the words far too much of a garbled mess for her to even try focusing on. It was a bit reassuring though that she wasn’t alone, that meant that someone could do what she couldn’t. She tried to open her mouth, whimpering at first, as the bruised, almost likely heavily injured ribs were forced to move after however long she had been in this comatose state.

“P-Ple.. Please..” Talking ignited a fire against her skull, simply more agony on top of the torturous amount she was already in. She would call it excruciating, but soul burning was the closest she could actually relate the feeling to. A constant stream of fire set on her chest and never letting up.. She wished she had stayed asleep, stayed in the darkness where she could sleep forever and a day.

_“Don't give in just yet..”_

Hands. She could feel hands. Cold, small, soft hands that were touching along her body, poking and prodding at each injury to ensure that whatever they were wrapped in was still in place. Despite the slight violations, Sachi reflexively jerked, unwilling to take in the stranger's presence.

_“Stop moving..! You're making this harder on me..”_

There was a slight growl of frustration she tried to make out, but instead it was a pathetic whisper. The pain be damned, if they weren't going to help her then she was going to do it herself. Firstly she moved her arms, which forced the aggravation to shred her body through and through, intensifying the burning hot strain she was already in to even greater, more unimaginable heights. If she had any loosened items or weapons on her body, they would've been torn to shreds or buried inside her. The hands from before tightened on her arms, the soft voice now pleading at her to calm down.

_“Control yourself, Sachi.. You'll worsen your injuries if you thrash around like this.”_

But it wasn’t the same, somehow they knew her name.. They knew her personally. They saw her mangled, damaged body, they saw how weak and useless she really was. She could feel the sodden bandages over her eyes, the tears she wept getting socked up into the fabric. There was something far too familiar with that voice though.. She knew it belonged to a certain someone targeting her.

Had her attacker come for her after all?

The earlier voice growled lowly as she began to resist again, muttering something about her bleeding out more than she already had. They began to contemplate, muttering about what would be the best way of handling her wounded state of body. Sachi couldn’t take the darkness paired with their voice anymore and reached for the bandages that blinded her, screaming at the motion yet again as a snap echoed briefly to her hearing.

Fear had drowned out Sachi’s pain. She couldn’t go through this, not again. The pain, the darkness, the complete and total sense of emptiness.. She already was at the edge, and she didn’t want to be pulled back just to repeat everything again.

Warmth shrouded around her arm, caressing it in soft strokes while a gentle tug pulled at the bandages over her eyes. Sachi felt herself flinching at every metallic snip that cut through the fabric, whimpering if the metal touched her skin even a little bit. Soon the material trailed down her face and she was able to see the area around her, and the stranger that was.. Not her attacker.. Yet was-

Kyoko keeled down near her, laying down various bloodied bandages. Slight tearing and misuse dotted her uniform's appearance, its normally pristine condition now tattered. There was a slightly deep scar trailing down her left arm that crept up her sleeve, but hidden well enough from an ordinary gaze. Her slightly concerned violet eyes showed signs of both worry and exhaustion, staying focused on Sachi.

Kyoko wasn’t truly willing to finish her off, at least from what she could tell.. There were too many differences between the two. She was truly alone.

She leaned forward with a raised hand to try and touch her forehead, stopping when Sachi flinched and tried to inch away from her.

“I'm trying to _help_ you,” Kyoko's gaze furrowed slightly, moving to hold her down to make treatment easier. Sachi cried out at the contact, the sudden pressure burning through her again. At her wails, it was only then she realized that the current state of action wasn't going to work yet. She removed her own exuding weight off her chest, with her hands examining more of her body and quickly realizing something horrible.

“W-Why.. Where's my belongings?-” Sachi questioned with a broken voice, realizing in shock that not only was she much lighter than before, but her resistive vest along with some of her clothing were gone. There was no answer from Kyoko and that scared her much, much more.. She had blacked out while being assaulted head on by _her.._ She couldn't bring herself to imagine being tortured by her assigned opposition.

 _“Stop._ You’re going to reopen your wounds if you keep doing that.” Kyoko's command, although soft in volume, got through to her.

Sachi stilled at the tightness in her tone, trying desperately to keep herself as still as possible while Kyoko worked at her. There were still squirms here and there whenever even the slightest bit of unnecessary pressure was added against her limbs, but aside from that she continued to work at her in silence, unless to remind her opposition to minimize her movements. Sachi couldn’t deny the absolute precision behind the small girl's motions.. She did her best to make sure nothing she did would cause her any more pain than possible, and before she could even comprehend her state of body, her vision blurred into darkness.

Sleep..

It was the closest thing Sachi could get that would ease her pain. She was beginning to get scared now, the bottled up emotions slowly cracking through her iron-clad will. There was nothing she could do to stop _her_ if she ever decided to go all out, that simple perk both a blessing and a curse. She maneuvered her body as much as she could to give herself some semblance of comfort, allowing her tired body to ache, hoping that the next time she opened her eyes it would be to the cold ground, and the iron-clad ceiling of the complex's structure telling her that she's safe, she's all alone.

...

Unfortunately for her, none of this was a dream. It was a nightmare, a nightmare that showed no signs of ending soon.. She was beginning to slowly question Kyoko's intent, that lingering sense of possible betrayal eliciting an agonizing wait. Despite her appearance of trust, she was clearly allied with _her,_ a partner at most. It would only take a single strike to bring her down..

But could she?

“Y-You.. You must hate me, don’t you?” Sachi asked as Kyoko worked at the bandages around her abdomen. True to her nature the young girl didn’t say anything when questioned, but Sachi had learned to watch the small shifts in her movements, reading the body language to tell what she wouldn’t with her words. “I mean.. You're allied up with _her,_ right? Must've been tasked to scout me out, huh.."

Kyoko sighed and rose from her kneeled position. Sachi wasn’t sure what she really wanted her to do.. Scold her, berate her for downing herself? Either of those would have been better than what the young detective did, which was leave.

No words.

No additional sounds.

Just sudden absence.

Stars burst in her vision, her head aching. Sachi hated this.. The isolation, the gnawing virus of fear, the fact that the only person she could even talk to was a confusing, potential array of red flags. It was eating away at her, and the fact that the one person that she felt the most distrust with would hardly even look at her, doing absolutely everything she could to help.

Tears swelled in her eyes as she wondered if this was how she'd end this game, nothing more than a chance encounter leaving her in a state of disarray. Those dreaded thoughts had been plaguing her severely since she woke up and was 'saved' by the opposition's partner, and with no end in sight she wasn’t sure how much more she could take. She was already at, what she thought, was the end of her rope when she first woke up, but now, some undetermined time later.. Her resolve to make it all end was much greater.

And there was something she could do to make that happen, it was just a matter of keeping her nerve now that she was healing. But was there a point?.. If the opposition wasn’t actively looking for her then would it really be all that hard?

In the solace of her silence, Sachi solidified her resolve and forced the various bandages apart slightly, curious of her body's state. A single touch of her finger pressed into her chest and she felt her body jolt as she gasped.

It hurt.. A lot.

She calmed herself with deep breaths and repeated her mantra again and again until it was the only thing in her mind.. She didn’t want to live with the permanent consequences of her failure in a place that was so familiar, yet so absolutely, terrifyingly different. The next surge of pressure against her chest went mostly unnoticed, at least at first. Her hands pressed slightly deeper into the soft surface until it gave way with a light glide. A sudden liberating feeling embraced her.. Her worries and fears simply melted away at the moment, cascading through her in a smooth, fluid stream.

But once she opened her eyes and saw the unstable, crimson red seeping through the covers, watching as the liquid from the wounds expand out like a cloth on fire, the fear returned worse than before.. Soon she would be nothing but a worthless shell, barely a memory to those that knew her.

-Then came the pain. Sachi felt her voice rip through the area in a bone chilling wail. This was so much worse than when she first woke up, how could that even be possible? It was as if her entire body had been set ablaze while her feelings were meticulously shaved of their surface.. There was also a slow grinding pressure that collapsed down on her, pinning her down so she could not get away.

Kyoko all but barrelled into the area after her second scream but had to brace herself in efforts to calm the panic that was swelling in her own chest. Her gaze stared at the leaking, deteriorating bandages in fright, already springing into action.

She coiled her hands around already acquired new bandages, spilling her work into it as safely as she could to keep the injury from expanding more than it had. Sachi's screams beat against her skull, but Kyoko couldn’t muster the brass to tell her to stop. This wasn’t a minor injury that would hurt for a bit then go away, or a cut that could be bandaged.. This was a deep laceration.. Permanent if left untreated.

Sachi cried against the feelings, her fingers digging into the other’s uniform sleeves as she did.

"I-It's gonna be alright, I've got you-” Kyoko stuttered as he tried desperately to concentrate on the task before her. A feeling of relief washed over her when newly wrapped white counteracted the bleeding, with it slowing.

Sachi’s pleads, though still loud, calmed slightly at seeing various medical supplies strewn besides her.

Kyoko shushed her again, knowing fully well of her condition; With her begging again and again to make the pain go away and each plea was met with soft words. She watched Kyoko intently, focusing on her body language in case the strain became too much, but with each passing second she could see the determination in her eyes, to make sure she'd make it out in some broken resemblance of okay.

“H-How bad?..” Sachi's voice was only barely soft.

Kyoko sighed as she surveyed the injuries for a moment before placing more care just for a while. “You.. You're lucky to have even made it this far with all this bleeding.” She gave a soft hum for her answer but chose not to move from her spot. “Truth is, I never realized _she_ could've been this ruthless.”

The response prompted Sachi to shift a bit so she could look at her device, the worry painted in her eyes a bit more prominent than they usually were.

“I see it in you, Sachi. You're not like _her.._ All that time, she's _used_ me.. But you're more trustworthy, I can tell..” There was a flux in Kyoko's voice that she noticed but decided against questioning. She could tell just from the look on her face that something was bothering her, and Samidare was likely the centerpoint for the feeling.. She didn't need the added stress anyway.

It did, however, take little to no convincing to get Kyoko to change her mind, whether intentional or not. After something as strenuous as mending her state of injury, the younger detective was more than eager to take a different perspective of vision. “I won't let you down, take my word for it..”

Sachi nodded and waved a pile of trackers, having grasped them through her fabric, waiting until Kyoko closed her feelings' door to allow her guard to drop and released all of her pent up emotion in a single, low growl. Fear, worry, anger.. Kyoko felt all of them but right now was not the time to act on them, not with Sachi in this condition. No, right now all she could do was wait for her newly minted ally to recover.. Whenever that was going to be.

Kyoko sighed and allowed herself to grasp the trackers, her footsteps echoing throughout the area as she paces off, newfound determination and her voice grinding out in a harsh whisper. “I won’t let _you_ bring us down.. Not again.”

Everything was through, set up and perfected but after what was most likely hours, Sachi felt herself slip. Her body had taken in all that it could and left the rest of the injuries covered.. All that met her was darkness and the newfound hope she thought she'd lost.


	5. Day 4

Kyoko stood barely against the wall, sweat dripping down her forehead, a bit of blood oozing over her bruised lip, eyes locked onto her partner. Looking over at Samidare, what used to be a cleanly polished uniform now has more than enough damage; Slightly torn in several areas, some others having blood stains and her state of body somehow still polished. Given the state of her chest rising up and down, it’s clear that she’s exhausted, probably at her limits. Footsteps echoing in front of her, she could only stare at the figure that used to be her trusted partner.. Except it’s no longer. Samidare's gaze lands on her, and she already knows what that stare alone means.. Kyoko herself has several, minor injuries herself. Her uniform's blazer now has been torn in a few places, and her limbs were slightly aching due to the amount of movement she has sustained. Unlike her former 'partner' however, she doesn’t seem tired at all.. She simply just stares at Samidare in slight disappointment.

“Your loyalty's gotten _weaker,_ Kirigiri.. Had you've stuck with me, followed my orders.. You wouldn’t be where you are, groveling in your place and trying to claw past me to save _yourself.”_ Samidare spat, shaking her head slightly in frustration. Her tone of voice was so venomous it might as well corroded metal itself. “Such incompetence.. Such a sin you are, dear Kyoko; I'll have to teach you your place.”

Kyoko's expression furrowed, already having made up her mind to resist this tormentor she's so blindly followed for so long. Letting out a sigh, she glares at this.. This _fake,_ and with all the hatred she could muster she rushes in to deal with matters _herself._

Raising her guard up and rushing in for a quick hit, she attempts at landing a jab at her opponent, who merely rolls her eyes and tilts her head to the side, avoiding the shot with ease. It gives Kyoko time to get closer, going in for a side kick assault, in which Samidare blocks with her free hand and then counters with her left. The punch draws out a pained gasp, apparently stealing the younger detective's breath for a moment. Kyoko didn’t stop however and uppercuts her, then kicking Samidare in the stomach, pushing her against a pillar and then slamming her into it, managing to wrap one of the trackers stealthily around one of her blind spots. She then moved in and tried to go for an upper knee finish.

If her opponent had not grabbed the knee and flipped Kyoko backwards; She manages to land down alright, no other movements in hand- But the distraction cost her as Samidare high kicked her chin, causing her balance to falter even more. Stunned, Samidare swings her pocket knife forward; Striking the younger girl's chest multiple times in impressive speed, cutting parts of her blazer, leaving lacerations and cuts of varying degrees, then finally kicking her down.

Kyoko falls and crashes against a pile of rusted metal scraps, barely managing to stand up. Coughing up some blood, it still seems that she has some fight left in her as she looks up to her tormentor. Seeing her dashing forward, Kyoko quickly gets an idea and scrambles for a hold on any of the metallic shards, hurling them in her opponent's direction. Samidare frowns and with some quick footwork, manages easily to dodge the flying objects only to find herself face to face with her opponent's right foot as it connects with her face, sending her reeling against a pillar yet again- The force of the hit alone causing the hollow metal to ring out. Her body limps as she scrambles for her glasses, ceasing any more attacks for the time being.

Kyoko, despite her state of fitness, ran out of stamina.. Falling to her knees and looking worse for the wear, sore all over and in a lot of pain. Looking over at her tormentor, she could see parts of her body language signalling defeat as they were restless and still.

It seems.. She _won._ She called it a victory; Sighing to herself, and with the little strength she had left was able to stand up, starting to walk towards her defenceless opponent to fasten on the rest of her ally's trackers-

A costly mistake.

Passing by her opponent Samidare's faze recovers, now filled with a cold fury as she stands up, straightens up her form, grabbing her weapon only to turn around to see Kyoko limping towards her back. Before her opponent could react and counter, she swiftly counters with that same attack as previous, the iron catching Kyoko's knee as she stumbled. To say that she was stunned said a lot.. Feeling her legs buckle, she twists around and sees her tormentor, unable to counterattack in time. Her opponent came in too fast for her to react, and all she felt after that was pain.

Samidare slashes and stabs Kyoko's limbs repeatedly, tearing at the rest of her uniform and flesh; Leaving gashes everywhere until she was satisfied and then for the finale, roundhouse kicks her, sending the young detective crashing against the ground hard. The force of impact from that attack alone causes Kyoko to choke for air, her arms cradling her injured body.

Shocked, the young girl looks at her furious opponent closing in. She tries to fight back, but the excruciating pain prevented her from doing so anymore; She’s gone beyond her limit.. She can’t go on any longer. She’s lost... She falls limp to her back, visibly shaking as all she hears are her tormentor's footsteps closing in, her shadow peering over hers. She looks up, her eyes staring at fury. Samidare growled, brandishing her pocket knife and begins to assault her prey, over and over again. Each strike got the young detective to scream in pain, with her tormentor taking delight in each scream. Each and every strike tortured her as more and more bruises and cuts appeared on Kyoko's partially exposed body, the bruises turning purple to go along with the bloody mess of uniform remains and the lacerations themselves.

It doesn’t take long for Kyoko to start crying, her screaming begging Samidare to _stop._ All her tormentor did was chuckle, relishing in the girl's misery. She cups Kyoko's chin, forcing her to look at her closely. “How pitiful, begging for mercy like the lowlife you are.. Learn your place.. You never stood a chance.” Her tormentor licks her lips, staring at Kyoko with a fire in her eyes. “Today, here and now, you will learn that you are _beneath_ me; That you will serve _me_ and _no one else._ What I command, you will do no matter _what._ Don't question me any longer.”

Kyoko grits her teeth, her stare almost defying Samidare's, in which she frowns at this. Sending a jab at her prey's cheeks, her reaction only managed to spite her and she growled in dissatisfaction. Her thirst for authority wasn't fulfilled, and so she hails her vengeance against the defenceless young girl with no mercy, no regret. All that could be heard around the area was Kyoko's screams of agony, screams that would never end. Little by little, each attack cracked her will and resolve. Samidare noticed it; The struggle slowly becoming limper, as if her partner began to accept her place and embrace it.

It would only take a little more time.. Before she completely _owns_ the young detective who'd stuck by her side for so long.

* * *

Every single movement was pain. Ever since _those_ events, she's already paid a price too high for letting her guard down. It was once a mistake to have let the opposition's partner uncover her whereabouts and even though she'd meant no harm, the chance encounter with the opposition _herself_ was more than enough to seal her fate.. It was another mistake to let herself be ravaged by the enemy, knowing very well that that her life was in her tormentor's hands.. And to top it all off, every inflicted injury would take more than effort to heal, or probably _not at all._ Fractured ribs restrict one movement, and even the slightest touch could bring a world of agony, not already helping the deep lacerations her tormentor's inflicted her with. An injured eye's already a detriment in itself; Taking one's way of sight and _narrowing_ it down. Nothing of her current state of body seemed to complement this scenario at all, a 'game' that favors constant movement.. But even despite the pain she still can't give in just yet.. Only passing the time limit matters after all; Staying alive and distanced certainly can speed things up.

It's only that she's allowed herself to take notice that industrial complex's areas were almost intentionally created for the sole purpose of playing cat and mouse, both riddled with a sense of security and vulnerability as it meddles with the mind, the pressing matters not helping in the slightest. Taking out a slightly damaged contracker, Sachi inputs her requests, with a small metallic box having fallen in her nearby radius as a result after a few minutes. She's already suffered the loss of her already assigned items, but it seemed that requests weren't so bad, after all.

> _[Victim] Sachi Mizuiyama_
> 
> _Day 4 - Haiki Industrial Complex//East Wing_
> 
> Available funds - 120,016,000
> 
> Request of Weapon: Crossbow
> 
> Request of Item: First aid kit
> 
> Request of Item: Laptop
> 
> Request of Item: Drone
> 
> Total cost of requests - 216,850
> 
> Current funds - 119,799,150

Dropping herself down to at least a remotely workable area she sets up her laptop and drone, adjusting the settings and workarounds to ensure her next flight at least manages to give her some decent performance. Despite the drone's almost banged up appearance it still manages to give off a presentable image feed, the results from the laptop screen itself unchanged despite the unfamiliarity. The area, despite the significant locational changes almost still remained the same; Arising thoughts on the lack of tracking her own location probing at the back of her mind. As the drone rises rapidly in its flight, almost immediately its lack of control was evident due to its damage.

The footage was slightly grainy and even throughout the screen Sachi's luck already dealt its sinister hand- The ever pressing presence of the opposition has already caught sight of the aircraft; Making no regard to its further actions as a single stare was enough to convey the intended message: _'I'll uncover your whereabouts, no matter what it takes.'_

Almost inexplicably a quick swing of the opposition's arm set an iron bolt in flight, the drone's stability severely rocked as Sachi attempts to control the aircraft's doomed fate. Many attempts are made to veer it out of the opposition's presence, but it seemed that fate took its toll as the camera view tilted aggressively as it plummeted to the ground; In full view of the opposition's enraged features as a single stomp was enough to cut off feed contact completely.

 _She_ was on the move.. And it didn't seem pretty.

Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself before checking that all her items were in their correct places, knowing that everything else needed to be perfect if she was going to adapt to this change in this entire schedule, but she wasn’t overly worried. Ducking down behind a towering pillar Sachi hissed as she gripped her chest, biting her lip to stop herself from crying out as she gingerly probed the wound even as she cursed her luck. Thankfully it seemed that the injuries had merely gouged out a bit of skin, and whilst the wound was bleeding slightly it wasn’t as serious as she’d thought it might be. Moving as quietly as possible she tore a strip off the bottom of the kit, wrapping it tightly around the wound in the hopes of at least slowing the bleeding. Mumbling expletives under her breath she shifted her attention to the newly acquired crossbow near her presence, her hands steady despite the pain and exhaustion coursing through her body as she checked how much ammo she had, even as she contemplated her situation.

Furiously scanning her surroundings, the clash of her beating heart along with the deceiving footsteps taunt her, the predominanation of fear claws at her along with the risk of a single hit bringing her down; What used to be her resolve now has been whittled away to a mere fragility. Notching in an arrow, she paces around, voice steadfast- Although quite wavered deep down.

"Come _on,_ dammit! Where the hell _are_ you?!" Her derisions were for naught as the words only struck silence.

Pacing towards a caved in structure, just passing though it was enough for the opposition to reveal herself; The abrupt sight shocking Sachi as she stumbled back, locking her sights on Samidare- A pathetic recovery.

"Well, _well.._ Aren't you tired of holing yourself up, _Sachi?"_ Her tormentor inches forwards, a slight grin plastered on her face as she locks eyes with her prey, almost disregarding the threat of the weapon. "Go on, now.. Aren't you gonna shoot me?"

Sachi's grip falters as her rage takes over, almost catching her finger on the crossbow's trigger. She knows that directly killing the opposition was a rule violation- _Indirect mortality_ was the way to go.. But even still, this current situation wasn't allowing any opportunities to deal its hand. "To _hell_ I'd think about caving in to _you!-"_

"Oh, is _that_ what you've gone with?.. _Make_ your decision." Samidare abruptly grabs her prey's weapon, pressing against her chest without a shred of hesitation; The presentiment in her eyes shined brighter than ever. "You _hate_ me, don't you? _Come on, now.."_

It was at her breaking point that Sachi's grip on the weapon weakened, with it lowering as well as her backing down in animosity. She averts her gaze from her tormentor as the brunette closes down the distance between them, relishing her prey's internal conflicts.

"Your hatred, your competence.. Everything about you is _weak._ To think that mere _shell_ of a person constantly living in fear would _fight_ against me?" Samidare's words rain down on her prey, already accepting the situation at hand. "I'll keep burning it into you, _Sachi._ You'll bear with your actions right here and now.."

With that, the opposition raised her fists, already willing to taste her prey's decisions.


	6. Day 5

The second she's on the ground, The opposition knows Sachi is not getting up. Shoulders shaking, she plants her hands on the ground, trying to push herself up from the cold, dirty dust of this broken complex. Red drips onto the dust, and the crossbow drops from her grip, stained slightly on the inside with scarlet speckles of blood. Her knees scrape against the grit as she inches to the opposition, her tormentor she hated so much, clawing against the weapon and attempting to wrench it out of her grip. It's ironic, really.. She can't muster up the will to kill the one person she desperately needs to get out of this alive, and she's in a detrimental situation.

 _"Get up,_ fool. You're not done with me yet."

Trying so hard to make her voice stop shaking, the sound comes out quiet, like she's hearing herself from another room. Sachi's eyes open slightly, glassy and dazed as blood drips from her injuries, the small patters staining through the bandages. A small pathetic gasp of air leaves her mouth, and swallowing back a cry of disgust and fear, she then grips the torn lapels of what used to be her pristine kimono.

"Where are the rest of your _pathetic_ tools?" Samidare's tone of voice is now beginning to convey her anger, almost as if her previous state of emotion disregarded it.

Slowly, painfully, she shakes her head. "They're gone-"

 _"Don't_ play martyr with me, Sachi." The brunette hisses, eyes narrowing as she glares at her injured prey's face. "I'll keep clawing at your resolve 'till you get the hell up and _give up_ your damn fight."

When her prey laughs in response, it sounds like the wheezing of a dying fire. It makes Samidare's head swim with anger, resentment, and a helpless pause. Sachi shifts slightly, wincing as the pain threatens to break down her defence. The opposition growls in frustration, the audacity of her prey's attitude was certainly something, especially in a position of no defence. Letting go of her rage, she wrenches her gaze from her prey and sets her eyes on a hidden weapon. That's when a pathetic display of a jagged metallic shard revealed its form, a slight bump protruding through the fabric of the prey's apparel. As soon she saw her opportunity, she went for it. Bringing her arm up in a wide she pulled on the form. It was in her grip, alright, but she couldn’t quite pull it out completely; Its length made it a bit awkward to draw out when laid at her position. Samidare struck her with both fists in the solar plexus, which disabled her arms slightly, with them weakened as she gasped and crumpled down. The scrap iron loosened and clattered to the ground, and she kicked it away. Her prey scrambled after it, so she stomped on her ankle.

Her scream was primal.

Samidare circled around her prey, picked up the crossbow nearby, pointing it near her face and fired off a round. The arrow made a sound like a whip crack as it burrowed itself into the ground, dangerously close to the prey's vital areas. Sachi stopped fighting.. She fell back again, writhing in pain. Samidare simply gave up trying to taunt her and let her prey down to her own accord. Both players were silent for a second, with the occasional sounds of the prey's pained gasps and the soft breeze of chilled air moving its way though the area.

“You know, I love moments like this.”

Sachi closed her eyes, attempting to tune out her tormentor's voice. Samidare in response crouched down next to her prey, putting emphasis on her helplessness. She grabbed her hair and turned her face towards her gaze. Her prey might have been crying silent tears, but it was hard to tell; The expression she wore was hard to decipher.

“You hear me? I love moments like this.. It’s all over your face. Right now you’re looking at me with more intensity than you’ve probably put into anything in your whole life; You’re fully inside this moment, because you’re afraid I’m going to kill you. Do you know how rare that is for me?.. You’re not worrying about your next day, your injuries or how much time's left 'till this game ends- _No._ Right now every fibre of your being is focused on me and this weapon.” Samidare tapped the end of the weapon against Sachi's chest. Her prey was breathing like a machine, practically hyperventilating; Her one good eye was as wide open as could be and focused on her gaze face like a laser.. She didn't think her prey could stop looking at her if she tried.

The opposition glanced at the wrecked state of her prey, the area and then out over in the distance. Breathing in through her nose, she relished this simple moment; It reminded her of something, but she wasn’t sure what. Letting her breath out she then looked back down at her opponent. “I only have one question,” Samidare signalled to her prey's garments, pulling out a tracker from her own uniform. “I think you know what _this_ is.”

 _“Tracking device,”_ Sachi murmured, the movements of her body now slowing due to the constant pain. She started to reach into one of the pockets of her kimono and when the brunette saw she wasn’t going for another weapon, she let her. What was pulled out was a simple black device resembling a cell phone that was still powered on. On the screen was a highlighted portion of a map with a blue arrow showing their exact location.

“Where’s the signal coming from?”

“You,” Her prey responded.

“Is it one of my devices?”

 _"She_ put a bug on you.”

Samidare snatched the device from her hands and moved it around. The location of the dot didn’t change; It must’ve been some sort of GPS tracer, which means the signal could have been coming from almost anything. _She_ might have slipped it into her clothes or one of her cell phones. Sighing, the opposition pointed the weapon back at the woman's chest. “I’m not going to kill you; Don’t get me wrong, though. I don’t particularly mind killing girls like you, I’ve done it before.. You see, when I accepted the challenge I was afraid this job was going to be too easy. Without _you_ in particular, I never would’ve got to enjoy this moment.. All the colors are a little brighter. The air tastes a little better. Even this state of wear feels good.. There’s no drug out there that feels like this.”

The brunette pressed the crossbow into Sachi's sternum with one hand and went through her pockets with the other. Not much was gathered except for a few bandages and pills, in which she took the items and threw scattered them near her.

“Are they listening to me right now?” Samidare spat, almost uncaring of her prey's feelings.

“I don’t know..”

“I hope they are. Even if they aren’t, I hope _you_ are, Sachi. I don’t care about your damn _state_ or your pathetic efforts. I’m just here because I’ve spent the last six months staring at a goddamn empty wall in my dorm and waiting for something interesting to come along.. This _is_ interesting; I _live_ for moments like this. So if your _'ally'_ doesn't want to slowly lose her pathetic life by torment, she should leave me alone or make me another deal. _This time,_ however, it had better be interesting.”

Sachi's good eye stared up at her in terror.. She nodded weakly with desperate eagerness.

Without a shred of hesitation, her tormentor pressed the end of the crossbow against her ankle and squeezed the trigger. The mechanism made a thump that echoed out over the area. Sachi's eyes fluttered for a second before she passed out from the pain. Samidare picked up her trackers and the device, tossing it away and then slung her body against her back, moving out to a new area in mind.

* * *

Sachi wakes up dizzy and disorientated..

Or rather her consciousness returns, slowly allowing her to reach the surface, slipping from the darkness of unconsciousness into an undefined blackness where her body is shivering and shaking. Every muscle is chilled to the bone, frozen at first, then shivering to warm itself in what is ice-cold air. She gasps, a small involuntary movement; Cold air burning her airway and her frigid fingers curl into fists as every fibre of her being tenses. The cold is seeping into her, not only from the air but from the freezing ground below, on which she is kneeling. A layer of moisture has caused the little bandages and parts of her kimono to become damp, all the way from her knees to her feet, the fabric heavy. She isn't carrying anything else, her weapons and trackers now gone. Her hands are held above her head, painful on her shoulders; Moving them ever so slightly, metal digs into her wrists- Ice cold, causing her to flinch.

That is what makes her pause.

She moves her hands, the metal digs into her wrists. Her fingers fumble, scrambling for the chain itself above the shackles. She finds them, every link cold beneath the tips of her fingers. There is no sound though.. She doesn't hear anything; Nothing. She swallows, tries to calm.. Tries to listen. She hears air escaping her lungs, hears her heart beating against her chest, hears the blood rushing through her ears.. But she doesn't hear anything else. No way to make a sound.. No way to listen to anything besides her body; A wave of fear washes through her and she beats it back, calms her breathing- She won't let herself succumb to this degradation.. She will endure.

So, there is no possibility she can hear or make herself known.. But that is only one of her senses- She knows already about touch; _That_ one she does have, judging by the shivers running through her, and the cold metal. Next is sight.. Maybe it hasn't been taken that from her, a tiny voice in her head reminds her. But as she opens her eyes, that small sliver of hope is slashed. She is staring into darkness and tries to blink; Her lashes brush against fabric and some tension seeps from her.. At least that is not _permanent._ Only blindfolded, not blinded, though it leaves her still shivering and shaking with no way of knowing what happens next around her- So she tries hearing again. She tries to quiet down, listening for something, only to be met with no sound other than the ones her body produces, her breathing quickening again. She closes her eyes, calming herself.. One breath in, double the length breathing out.

Sachi holds back another shiver only by sheer willpower. She isn't going to show her tormentor any more of her emotions.. _She_ won't get that satisfaction. Her stomach contracts painfully and her eyebrow twitches in irritation. It takes her a moment to place it as hunger.. It's been ages since she has felt hunger, acute and debilitating like this, and it's been a long time since she has been so _cold.._ But it draws her attention away from the state of her current situation and draws it to how she came to be in it-

A hand suddenly brushes over her side.. Her body snaps to attention, startling herself; Her tormentor is most likely here. Her hands ball into fists, body readying for a fight. Maybe she is able to slip free from the shackles if ever her opponent is distracted.. Maybe- he needs to be ready. Letting out a breath she focuses in on herself, on that very centre of her body, keeping every muscle tense and ready for any invasion-

A fist connects with her face, breaking her concentration. She tries to brace for what is happening, but it's futile; She doesn't know from which direction the attacks fly.

Another harsh punch connects with her face-

A punch to her chest.

Anger surges through her; Lips pulling back in a snarl, which she tries to wipe off just as quickly. No longer is she giving them _her_ the slightest reaction.. And yet she needs to hope it's been too brief to give anything away. A kick connects with her stomach and pain spreads through her torso. In a strange twist, it keeps her centred, the agony reminding her she has not chosen this for herself. Her whole body is aflame with pain as hits, punches and kicks connect with it-

Then the attacks stop, leaving her in darkness yet again. Sachi's thoughts begin to drift.. Time becomes a fickle thing. She knows it passes, knows her tormentor will eventually come back to her, continuing to hail her pent up frustrations against her. Blood begins to trickle from her wounds. What used to be the protective barrier of the bandages are now torn loose, leaving matter to run down her body; Sometimes she thinks she could use that to measure time, how quickly blood runs. The shivering is a constant.. The cold is a constant. Hunger is a constant. Strength saps from her. She doesn't hold herself as strong anymore, doesn't manage to hold herself up; Instead hanging in the chains, her head leaning against her arms. She still doesn't make a sound more than the ones her body makes involuntarily.

...

Her consciousness fades, something between sleeping and dying.

Time passes.

She drifts closer to the surface.

Then there are hands on her again- The rage and frustration evident as they move along her body, fingertips forcing through streaks of hair, which has to be matted with blood and dirt. The blindfold comes loose and so does whatever has blocked her hearing, a pressure she has not known easing off her ears. The sounds come first; Her own harsh breathing, quiet words she cannot make sense of harshly whispered above her head, the sound of the metal chains moving. Sachi clenches her mouth shut, tries not to make a sound, to reign in her errant breathing. Pressure exuded against her increase in strength as she found various parts of her body being wrapped with a thin, cold coil; The sheer size and length of the wire making her body shiver upon contact. Attempts to thrash or resist are only met with physical force, that alone sending the message across. Soon enough almost all her limbs were covered in the silver wire, her body restricted severely and in control of her tormentor.

In the not so far distance, there are various movements.. Closer she can hear the scrapes of wires, the dripping of blood on the stone floor, and the rattling breaths of someone panicked. Then the blindfold drops away, her spectacles are forced back on again and she needs to squeeze her eyes shut, the harsh, sudden light filling the area painful- An audible whimper passes her lips, cursing herself for her weakness; For revealing it so plainly. Again, she pries her eyes open, ready for the pain, and what comes into focus is a harsh architectural sight, light streaming in from one side but that is not important because Kyoko is there in front of her.

Her ally is worried, eyes wide, lips pressed together.. She only manages to distance herself from Samidare as her adversity works against her. As soon as the girl releases her Sachi slumps forward, heavy and devoid of energy. Wires wrapped around her whole body cut into her, increasing the already intolerable agony she's in. Each and every movement, no matter how small sent the wires deeper into her clothing's protection; Until eventually the fabric gives way and burrows into flesh. Attempting to recover, she sets herself upright, wincing as the wire reacts with her movements.

"Apologies for the _trouble,_ dear pet.." Samidare grins, aiming the crossbow at her former partner as her grip on the wires tighten. "Go on, now. _Face her._ Try anything funny and you already know what'll happen. Look at me and follow my orders."

Kyoko's gaze lowers as she shuffles in position, poisoned by Samidare's acrimony. The weapon remains locked on her, ready to shoot in case she decides to go rouge.

"Look at you now, _Sachi._ You've lost your cool, all these days.." Her tormentor inches closer to her prey, wires still in hand, cupping her chin to force movement against the restraints until the slightest bit of blood is drawn. Her opponent does nothing but tremble slightly and resist her force, though it wouldn't take long. "The plans you've made worked quite _well.._ But even still, you've _failed."_

Forcing her arms up Samidare passes on her crossbow to the restrained Sachi, her grip on it steadying as the wires continued to wreck havoc on her body. Kyoko only manages to stare at her in horror, the direction of the crossbow aimed straight at _her,_ one pull of a trigger away from taking her life. Her tormentor then put distance between them, looking onwards at her former partner's panicked state and Sachi's agonizing wails as she herself ignores the current state of her limits- Pressing against the cutting restraints as she forces the crossbow away, blood seeping down throughout every wire-wrapped limb.. Of course, through the tears of the pain, Sachi locks her sight on her opponent.

With a wavered squeeze of the crossbow's trigger, the arrow just as quickly buries into Samidare's arm, the opposition's guard lowered by the slight shock of distraction and the sight of Kirigiri springing into action, already drawing distance towards her. The brunette attempts to ward off her former partner violating her boundaries; Grip already on her pockets and having drawn out her pocket knife, then retreating off to her ally. With a quick few slashes and yanks against her tormentor's direction the wires cut free; Already being forced off by Sachi and the rest falling off their intended places.

Her ally's already made her move- Escaping is priority; Even with the injuries she's sustained.

Kyoko smiles weakly in her direction as she then faces her former partner, already struggling and almost succeeding in dislodging the arrow pinning her against the surface. It's no longer she's going to run off, she's already decided to step up _against_ her adversary.


	7. Day 6

In the silence after, an eternity passes. Samidare stays with herself out of sync, cognition and reality pressed close against itself. The barrier between her and her target is worn thin here- Like _she_ is worn thin, like both things have to be in order for her to survive.. There is never a missing body, only a missing mind.

In the silence of her thoughts, she can hear the breeze of wind.. She knows it isn't really the gust itself, It's just an echo of the rushing of blood in her own ear, a roar that demands to be heard and understood as proof that she is alive. The plan is complex; The plan has a million moving parts that don’t work together, gears linked with nothing more than rubber bands threatening to snap. The plan is a show, a sham, a farce to fit a narrative. In reality, it doesn’t work.

Or, more accurately, none of it matters.. Because Kyoko is already in her control. She has no idea what state her former partner might be in, just recalling that she's put up quite a bit of a fight, not before finally giving up.. It's something she's been fantasizing about for a long time. Whatever she's done to her, movement will be incapacitated thoroughly.. Kirigiri can't run from her now.. She'll stay there and take whatever her abuser decides to give her.

She'll beg for the mercy of death and she'll have it when Samidare is good, ready, and not a moment sooner.. It’s lucky that the young wildcard isn’t bound by such things.

Samidare's footsteps tread against the concrete grit of the semi-open areaway, tapping out a threat that echoes in the emptiness, feeling a surge of some kind of feeling in her chest, sick and boiling. Ecstasy, she decides; Her hand is trembling and she doesn't know when she started grinning like this, the way she does when she's feeling something too gratifying and isn't paying enough attention to regulate her feelings.. Not on the way in, though. She stares at her hand, wills it to still until it does; Lets the maniacal smile slide off her face. She is composed.. Perfectly aligned with the world around her; Everything is as it should be and she herself is especially, exceptionally, absolutely as she should be.

The threading of the opposition's footsteps startles her partner out of her stale reverie, full body flinching at the quiet noise. That noise has indicated nothing but more pain for some time now, logically, only hours.. But cut off from the rest of the area there’s no way to tell. It’s felt more like days, years, an eternity cycling between semi-conscious pain and fully conscious pain.

Kyoko sits there, one hand limp on the broken down concrete remains. Her state of body looks, at once, utterly ethereal and horrible for once. She's badly bruised just about everywhere that Samidare can see, freshly dried blood beginning to crackle on her skin. Her expression is- Blank, faintly distant, clearly exhaustion-induced. The opposition wonders, vividly, if whatever she's gotten the young girl on on will affect the way she experiences sensation.

It's nothing like a regular fight; She doesn't need to be efficient, there's nothing to tell her to hurry it up, and even if there was, she'll handle it anyways.. Not to mention that every factor is in her favor; All the time in the world, complete control of the situation, a flawless plan and a nasty grudge. There's no reason not to indulge herself. She steps up to the table and her partner's eyes follow her, slow, exhausted, moving just a little too slow to be fully aware of her surroundings.

“Oh, _Kirigiri..”_ Her tormentor's voice is quiet, soft, but now the younger girl forces her eyes to focus, to process the figure standing before her now.. _Samidare,_ right on cue. “What have I've done to you?”

Kyoko eyes her abuser in disgust, looking back down at her fingers and idly tapping on the remains. It’s an unbreakable habit, to make light of awful situations. Her eyes can’t linger on her tormentor for too long, unfocused and exhausted, but they keep flickering back to her, at least until she just closes her eyes, letting her shoulders relax.

Maybe, eventually, her abuser will be sorry for what she’s about to do. Kyoko closes her eyes as Samidare walks behind her, pretending just for a moment as she rests her hands on her slumped shoulders, that it would be the truth; That the sweet murmur of “Don’t worry, I’ve got you, Kirigiri,” is genuine rather than mocking.. The weight of her hands is achingly familiar in a way she can’t place, soothing even when she knows the intent behind them. It would be easy to relax in the chair, to slump back against Samidare's torso and absorb whatever trace of warmth she can get through her tattered uniform.

Then the brunette's hands close around Kyoko's neck like a vice and the moment is broken. The gasp wrenched from her chest is one of genuine surprise; She wasn’t expecting the sudden movement and there’s a primal sort of panic that makes her scratch uselessly at the grip. Her tormentor forces her head back and her face fills the younger girl's vision- Grinning, laughing, haloed by the little crack of light and when the chuckle trails off the malevolence stays, the stretched past breaking grin of someone with too much to contain. Fleetingly, Kyoko hopes this is how her partner finishes her this time.. There’s a personal touch that the hidden intent of cruelty doesn’t have, and in some twisted way she’s almost grateful for it.

Samidare catches her breath, devouring the way the younger girl's eyes look right now, scared, frantic, foggy and stricken, her pupils pinpricks of dark from whatever drugs she's forced to take, so tired and so terrified. Her tormentor thinks she has never been happier; She can feel her own heartbeat, hammering somewhere between her chest and neck. Kyoko's hands claw uselessly at her own- Her abuser's hands move so much faster than the younger girl's mind can right now; Struggling, addling away from her neck to the back of her skull; Then the pressure on her neck slacks and she barely has time to suck in a breath before her head is shoved forward into the broken scrap of concrete, nose meeting the stone in a sickening crunch; One more thing broken. Honestly, it’s surprising that it hadn’t been earlier, being tossed around like a toy between eager hands. She sucks in air between her teeth and grabs the chair beneath her in a white-knuckled grip.. Nothing like pain and another desperate shot of adrenaline to get the body moving. If her abuser wants to toy with her, _fine-_ But in a surge of spite she wants to make the damn monster _work_ for it.

But even then, Kyoko's own throat makes a concerning sound too, a crackling hiss of pain, her arms falling limp to her side.. Her tormentor feels sick joy in the pit of her stomach at the sight. There's plenty more abuse to be taken anyways and she yearns to ruin every inch of her, leaving her broken, bruised, bloody. For a moment she wonders if she’s fragile enough to have been knocked unconscious with something as simple as that preliminary blow, but of course throughout the times Kyoko has never been one to go down in one shot. She has a surprising mastery over both subtlety and speed even as impaired as she is, manages to slam the chair into her abuser's legs hard enough to catch her off guard. She's meant to throw herself in the opposite direction but it’s more of a lurch, pain shooting up her leg and the ground rising up to meet her. Turning the fall into a roll still hurts; She stops at the edge of the area, too small to make much distance but it’s at least something, giving her half a second to catch her breath as Samidare stalks towards her.

The young girl's arms are shaking, but she’s still trying to recover. Her tormentor stares down at her, grinning, eyes narrowing into hateful slits. Her target's pathetic, dripping blood and wretched on the ground, abuse battering her system, and she still thinks she can fight. Her confidence, her optimism, her rebellious spirit- It's disgusting.. It's nothing; It's all empty air, twitching muscles and promises that mean nothing at all and it makes Samidare sick with rage. She starts to rise on shaky limbs, willing her vision to stay in focus. There is a clarity gradually returning to her that she would appreciate more if it didn’t come with the increasing awareness of her body..

Everything hurts. Trying to catalogue it right now is a distraction she doesn’t need, so she bares her teeth in the reflection of the grin she knows is on her abuser's face, blurry as it is; She in turn braces herself but she’s still not ready for it. Her abuser strides forward as Kyoko struggles there on the ground to rise, blood painting her lips, arms visibly shaking and head so heavy it's hard to lift.. And the sound she makes- The breath that bursts from between her lips, nowhere else to go, in a sort of wracked cough. Samidare laughs again, louder, relishing the younger girl's pain.. It's so good to be alone because she isn't afraid anymore, isn't afraid to show just how much her chagrin shows.. The only thing that matters anymore is the pathetic look in Kyoko's face, the panic, anger and spite glowing white-hot and beautiful behind the blood and bruises.

The kick lands between already injured ribs, and if they were only fractured before they’re definitely broken now, jagged edges punching into the girl. There’s more pain, _of course_ there’s more pain, but that’s much less of a problem than the breathlessness beyond being winded, the deep feeling of something being wrong. The cough forced from her chest tears at her throat, then there is nothing left in her lungs and she can’t breathe back in.. She’s frozen, fallen on her side with her hands splayed and twitching on the ground.

"Do you honestly _think_ I have to _try?"_ Samidare spits, with the sight of her partner's body twisted on the floor, momentarily paralyzed by the sudden loss of oxygen. "Look at the state you're in, Kyoko, and then look at _me."_

The brunette walks closer, placing the heel of her boot atop the hand splayed on the ground, grinding down and hearing something click then snap so she pushes harder; Rolling her ankle and listening to the strangled breathless whine of pain that worms its way from Kyoko's throat. The younger girl's voice is starting to break in places from the strain but it doesn't matter. The barest breath works its way back into her lungs now.. But her brain is caught up in the dominating feelings of agony and she screams at the grinding snap in the palm of her hand- But it comes out as a whine without the air for it. The wall in the way of her breathing crumbles and she gasps for air, uncurling herself and stretching out her arms. She still feels a little unsteady, faintly sick and aching everywhere, but she has a goal to achieve..

Her adversary takes a moment of pause to relish the sight of Kyoko's struggles again, with the younger girl wanting to force herself back up, pushing with the hand that isn’t being ground into the concrete. Pathetically, she reaches out with that hand to grab her partner's leg, digging her fingers in with all her pitiful strength, basic self-defense skills that barely even register; Samidare is honestly about to belittle her but then she goes for her weakness with surprising force, and she's even more amused by the attempt. The nausea seizes her spine in a momentary chokehold as she stumbles back, bent over. Another sharp pain twists through her, an elbow to the stomach, yanking more breath out of her than she thought she even had, but through the tension that wracks her muscles and forces her inward she manages to lift her head, pulled upward like some poorly-controlled puppet, looking at her adversary right in the eyes; Giving her a horrible smile, the kind that reaches her eyes but doesn't reach quite right.

..She’s going to survive this. Her state of body won’t, but a version of her _will._ That version, awakening as safe and whole as she could be still gasps for air with clear lungs. Fingers twitch against something she knows she can move away from, just- Doesn’t. It’s fine, _she’s_ fine, for as long as she believes that it will become true., It will be true; It _is_ true.

 _“-Not_ your friend,” Her partner's voice drips back into her head and she’s on the floor again, she's never even left. “I’m _not_ your teammate.. To think that you'd get away with committing treachery against me, to break free from _my_ reign.. Look at _where you are now,_ Kyoko..” Her voice is so strained, breaking, words coming out half in chuckles; Full of a desperate, manic energy that she has felt in her own throat more times than she cares to count. Her words reverberate, turning over and around themselves as the younger girl tunes out what pain she can, letting it fade into background noise. Even sill, her former partner is not what she thinks she is, and there’s an ache in Kyoko's chest at not being able to get that truth through to her that cuts deeper than any injury.

Her hand manages to get pinned down yet again, fragmented bones scraping against themselves under the grinding of Samidare's heel. It would be easier to give up now, to let her body be kicked around without paying attention to it, hole up inside her head where it’s safe and wait it out.. She _can’t,_ though, filled with too much spite and determination to just give up. Kyoko slams her free hand against her adversary, leveraging herself and gulping down air in shuddering gasps. An ordinary person would probably be in shock right now, but she’s had entirely too much experience shrugging off the kind of pain that can tear a person apart. She throws herself up, grabbing her body and digs her fingers in as hard as she can; It doesn’t buckle, but it gives her a sliver of leverage and a moment of overconfident intrigue from her adversary. She’s not a helpless kid, she’s a detective, and she is not going to roll over and acquiesce to her slow death-

_No._

She lands a strike against Samidare's knee.

The younger girl takes a certain amount of grim satisfaction in the way she half crumples, caught off guard and thrown off balance. In a surge of adrenaline she keeps going, launching upright and catches her tormentor in the stomach with her elbow before stumbling backwards and away, shoulders bouncing against the locked confines of the area. Despite being curled in on herself, Samidare forces herself head up, movement jerky and disjointed; Grinning, smirking in the way that twists her face into a grim mask of herself, eyes crinkled in something like pain and something like glee. Kyoko feels more present now, senses growing sharper along with the pain.

“Well?.. What are you waiting for?” She hardly recognizes her own voice at this point, strained and rasping. Coughing, a bubbling sensation rises in her throat, cracking and bursting, the taste of iron spilling over her tongue and out of her mouth. The lower half of Kyoko's face is warm and sticky from her nose already, the spit and blood dripping from her mouth hardly making a difference.. Even with all that, she's already accepted her state of body, smiling though the pain. “Go on now, aren't you going to kill me?”

Her tormentor takes a step closer, the younger girl has nowhere to run, not anymore. Blood smears her throat, starting to soak the tattered remains of her uniform, looking so tired underneath all the adrenaline. She's not going to last much longer, Samidare thinks, at least not hours and hours like she'd been lasting, no matter how stubborn she is, no matter her determination-

“Oh _no,_ I’m not going to kill you yet..” The brunette rasps, unfolding herself, still catching her breath. Her first step forward is unsteady but it won’t take long for her to recover entirely; There’s no room to run in this space and even if Kyoko could, she’d just be delaying the inevitable for no good reason.. She already _is_ delaying the inevitable for no good reason.

“You think you’re so fucking perfect,” Samidare spits, as if her former partner could ever think that highly of herself. “You think you can do _anything;_ That you can get away with whatever you want.. Well, you _can’t.”_

Another step and Kyoko's about to move but injured limbs or not Samidare is still faster- Sober, unbruised, minimal blood loss, so she closes the distance and throws out a kick, catching the girl in the jaw so hard the other cheek slams into the wall. "Sooner or later," She screams, now starting to hit her again and again, knuckles hot and bruising even behind the cushion of her form. "Consequences catch up to you!-".

“I _k-know,_ Y-Yui..” Kyoko tries to say but can barely get it out between blows. If she had any more energy she might be able to take advantage of how open her adversary is leaving herself, swinging wildly and carelessly, but she can at least breathe easier for a moment while she’s focusing on her face. The brunette then grabs her, pulling her over and onto her rising knee and the only reason she doesn’t fall forward is the hand fisted in her hair, holding her up as she gags on the blood rising in her throat. Samidare does not stop to let her speak; She grabs her by the shoulders and yanks her down, knee connecting with the soft flesh of the girl's stomach. Blood splatters onto the floor and she slams her back upright against the wall before her spluttering coughs are even finished, hearing her gagging wetly on her own fluids. Kyoko's head is yanked up and her tormentor's other fist connects with her eye before she can even catch her breath.. Maybe _that_ will kill her before this monster gets the chance to, and it doesn’t that seem luridly poetic to die choking on her own blood.

With the tormentor's next punch her fist connects with an eye and she feels soft within the hard bone of eye socket and her breath catches; Gleeful, thinking of the things she might've just done. At worst she'll get to watch the eye blacken.. At best she'll have that and she's done real damage to the eye itself. Agony radiates out from Kyoko's eye, when she forces it open her vision is skewed, she can only barely make out the twisted, mocking smile still plastered on Samidare's face. It’s getting worse, too- Darkness creeping in on the edge of her field of vision.. _Great._ Just what she was missing, more internal bleeding.. She doesn’t _want_ to die of a thousand injuries piled on top of each other, melting into a nightmare that she isn’t certain she can wake up from.. She _has to,_ though; Has to keep struggling, keep fighting back, trying to communicate any of the thoughts swirling around in her head. She hopes her own vision has gone half-black, that she'll be blinking blood, that she'll keep fighting back with one good eye and no good ribs, bleeding, broken and pushing herself to keep going even when she can't, because that's all she's good for- Going when she _can't,_ going when she _shouldn't,_ and her tormentor's going to prove that even _that_ is fallible; That even the perfect, beautiful and wonderful plan can still _fail._

“I know that I can't just let you be, _Yui!..”_ Kyoko practically screams, as loud as her battered chest will allow, planting her palms against Samidare's chest and shoves. It barely creates any distance between them but it's just enough time to suck in a desperate breath and keep talking. “You _want_ me dead for betraying you, I _know!.._ I can’t do one good thing, can’t live without consequences- But I'll _never_ let you win!..” She’s wheezing, half her words are coming out in wet coughs; Can’t even fix her eyes on her partner, her vision completely blurred. She blinks rapidly, ignoring the pained protests of one eye, and her vision partially clears for a moment before blurring again.

Kyoko looks up to Samidare's face, still blinking, but her eyes can’t focus on anything anymore.. Is she crying?.. She's crying- How pathetic.. _Disgusting;_ Where's that bravado of hers? That swagger, that confidence, that devil-may-care attitude that constantly puts her in dangerous places and yet never seems to backfire- Gone.. It's all gone; Under her tormentor's heel and ground to dust. Without her levelheaded emotion to hide behind she's just a child, bloodied, shaking and pitiful in her near-death state. She’s crying now.. She wasn’t certain she was still physically capable of it; She’s done plenty of it time before already from pain, fatigue, anger, but now she’s just tired, _exhausted._ Maybe it’s because of her eye, maybe it’s just one last outpouring of frustration against an unfair situation.. All that exists is the monster termed Samidare, pain, and her own useless fury.

“What did I do to you, _Yui..?”_ Kyoko isn’t sure if she expects an answer. “What did I do wrong?”

Her downcry catches Samidare by surprise and she takes an involuntary step back, swaying a little before she settles. It's both a comfort, gliding over her shoulders and curling around her like a scarf and an accusation, not pointed but spiked, something that tumbles painfully down her throat and sticks there like a briar in her chest. But it's just another weak shot at her, isn't it, just a reminder of her betrayal meant to tug at her heartstrings.. Just another desperate attempt to make her feel _something,_ to appeal to her pathos, to get her to remember her humanity.

And perhaps those tactics would work on another.. Someone who has feelings, has pathos, has humanity.. But her tormentor?

It just makes her angrier.

"What did _you_ do wrong?" The brunette repeats, body cold and still. The anger clears the fog from her head, focuses her, pulls her into that frozen place where nothing matters but the object of her spite. "What have you've _ever_ done wrong, Kyoko?" Her eyes are fixed on Kyoko's bloody mess of a face, on the dark liquid that's slowly welling up behind her cornea, spilling out over her iris.

There’s an edge to Samidare's voice, the tone of a bitter smile. “Even still, you've _endured_ me. For all I wanted to kill you, Kirigiri, you’re so-” Her voice cracks and she hisses through her teeth, clenching her fists so tight they turn white. “You’re so fucking _eccentric._ Every single part of you; Your intent. your damn volatile state, your reasons alone-”

The younger girl can only stare, blinking slowly to try to clear her eyes without much success. Samidare is wrong; There are plenty of reasons she's wavered.. _She_ should know, she's made each one. Kyoko has the decency to wear her mask where everyone can see it, but Samidare carries one even closer and more carefully than she does. When was the last time her tormentor did something that wasn’t to take out her frustrations against anything, to hone her skills to use others, to contort herself into the mold offered up by everyone who resents her? How long has she been crafting this personality, so rehearsed it seems genuine, perfectly pleasant, designed to be malicious?.. It works so well on everyone but the one person who actually matters.

“So, what did you do to me? _You_ got in the way; You-” The brunette laughs, just once, ringing around the area like a gunshot. Her voice is strained, face twisted into something more like a sneer now. “You thought you could _change_ things. Could change the trajectory of this game, rotten to the core as it is.”

She's right about that, at least.. All this and she still hasn’t come close to touching the beating, rotting heart at the center of it all, pumping apathy like blood through the veins of her core. Something will end it, to silence the malignant pulse thrumming in her ears, nothing at all is better than the beast at the center of it all; Her ally should be there to finish things with her.. But she never was.

“You don’t deserve an easy death.. You deserve to suffer as much as everyone else in this world; And I’m _not_ going to let you forget that for a moment before you die.”

As if she ever could.

“Bringing me down for trying, huh?” Kyoko's face cracks into a grin, crooked, bloody and bitter. “For being favourable? What are you, a damn sadist? I'll keep holding up, never gonna let _you_ take your reign..”

She snorts, then it turns into a chuckle, and she’s laughing now- Wild, maniacal, delirious laughter. Her head falls back, knocking against the wall, the sensation lost under the ache of everything else and her legs finally give out under her; Thank god she’s braced upright, so she can slide down to the ground as she howls, can’t stand the thought of falling into her tormentor and being discarded. There’s another stab of pain in her chest, her ribs jostled in a new and exciting way. Even through that she’s laughing, choking breaths intermingled with the hysterical sound It’s all she can do, laughing miserably in the face of death.. She’s cold. Coughing overtakes the laughter, trailing off into wheezing breaths, and her eyes close.. All that’s left is giving in.

“Heh.. How ironic..” A smile has settled on her face, far from happy, just a sedate resignation as worn as the rest of her, frayed around the edges. “Take my penance.. It’s about time you've gotten your satisfaction.”

Samidare's eyes flick towards the open areaway, the one Kyoko is nearby with her broken body, and for a moment she wonders just how much time it'd take to encounter her target if she bolted, right now, refusing to give her partner the satisfaction, refused to fulfill the expectations she has for herself, but she's too far gone now.. Locked in; Literally, figuratively. Her hand jerks to where the pocket knife is tucked in her blazer pocket, head hissing to finish this, get it over with, be done with her but she doesn't- Doesn't want to attack; Doesn't want this to be over.

"Aren't you _scared?"_ The brunette growls, searching the young girl's face for any kind of expression that makes sense but it's just this faint, unreadable smile, tinged with a wretched peace that Samidare can't puzzle apart. "Don't you feel betrayed? Don't you feel angry?"

She needs for Kyoko to be hurt. She needs for her partner to be afraid of her.. She needs for everything to have meant something; She needs to get all of this over with and out of the way so the only thing that's meant anything in her life for as long as she can remember will come to fruition. Kirigiri's the last thing in the way of Samidare's success.. If she reminds herself of that often enough it will become true; It _will_ be true. Her gaze is fixed on her partner's closed eyes and she doesn’t know if she wants them to open or not.

“‘Course not, Yui..” The younger girl forces her eyes back open to look at her tormentor kneeling between her legs, bewildered but still so full of rage. Half of her vision is dark now, obscured by blood; She is scared, always scared, but not of Samidare.. Not of death. Her tormentor might want her dead but fate needs her alive, to play out the rest of her scenes with the tortured grace of a hero. A bump in the road, is all this is.. She will drag a body back into the world in far better shape than this one is in, with only the memories of the pain to hold onto.

Memories. This confrontation hasn’t gone quite like the others before, but it never goes exactly the same.. It’s only the same broad strokes, detail filled by experience. She can’t feel betrayed by something she expected, can’t be angry at her abuser for doing what she feels she must. Nothing makes sense. This was supposed to be the only thing that did make sense- But nothing makes sense, nothing she says and nothing she does, as though it ever did.. As though Kyoko has ever made any sense at all and nothing that Samidare felt or thought made sense now. But now she can’t tell the difference between anger and everything else anymore.. It doesn’t even matter. Nothing even matters. Every so often, she feels like she remembers things that can’t have happened.. For a moment, she sees a glimpse of that same little gesture repeated in a different context, without pain and blood clouding her vision, open disregard clear and reciprocated. Seems more like wishful thinking than precognition; Can’t hurt to indulge in the thought of it, at least.

“Go on now.. You know how muc-” Kyoko's cut off by a coughing fit that rattles her whole body and splatters blood all the way onto her abuser's knees. It keeps getting harder to breathe in.. But she can’t let go yet; She needs to see this through to the end.

 _“Shut up,”_ Samidare snaps, voice breaking on it. She repeats the command, steadier, and her hands are at the girl's throat. _“I_ decide your damn fate, without your pathetic begging."

The younger girl doesn’t say anything, doesn’t make a sound as the pressure increases; Watching the unkempt rage well in her tormentor's eyes and spill over, unnoticed or at least unacknowledged. She has no air left to make words with but she thinks it’s okay.. It’s alright, _she_ will last until the end.. Samidare wouldn’t believe her even if she could say it; So she smiles, smiles as her throat shakes under the pressure, smiles as it gets harder to make out what she’s saying, harder still to understand-

“You’re such a _fool.”_

Smiles as she stops being able to feel the pressure around her neck, smiles as her fragile flesh falters and fails.

“You’re such a fucking fool,” Her tormentor rasps and she’s as tired as Kyoko now, all the urgency bled from her voice. It’s impossible to tell if her words are heard or understood.. It is until the younger girl let her eyes drift closed, but she opens them again; Half-lidded, half-smiles. They close again, her lungs never to rise again.


End file.
